Looking for a GREAT shotgun

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"The Silver and the Gold are essentially the same gun.

Differences that I have observed;

1. The Silver has a semi humpback receiver, the Gold is rounded
2. The Gold has the magazine cut off feature, the Silver does not. (I personally do not think this is a big deal)
3. The Gold has the auto load feature, the Silver does not. (I feel that this is somewhat "gimmicky", and not of any real great value)."
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I thought that the Golds were backbored, and the Silvers weren't?
 
Beretta 391 Urika.

Cycled and cycled and cycled every crap handload I shoved down it's throat - I intentionally played a little loose with quality control.

I finally cleaned the guts after about 1800 rounds.

I like the sporting model - (nicer wood)

Of course Italian over-unders are nice, too..
 
Listen to me only

What you are looking for is a Stoeger M2000 my friend. The newer ones with a higher rib and red viz sights. It's got that neat little inertia system like those Franchis and Benellis. Just smack on a Limbsaver to tame the recoil. It'll set you back around 4 Benjamins, maybe less. It's my little secret but I'm helpng you out because someone did the same for me once.:evil:
 
What does "backbored" mean? Just curious!
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On a new gun, by definition it means NOTHING.

A good gunsmith can enlarge the bore of an existing gun, between the forcing cone and choke, to change the inner contours of the barrel, which may improve patterns and does lighten the barrel to change balance and swing characteristics. That's called "backboring" and some shooters report great results with guns that handled or shot poorly, after sending their barrels to a really good 'smith to be backbored.

Gunmakers don't make a barrel and then go back in and change the bore. So if they use "backbore" as a verb, it's just plain false. "Overbored" is more accurate, in that the bore is made at the factory slightly larger than the nominal bore size for the gauge.

Ditto for "lengthened forcing cones." "Long forcing cones designed for modern plastic wads" would be accurate, but actually lengthening the cones is what you do to an older gun with a reamer. Standard forcing cones still work with vegetable fiber wads as well as plastic; longer cones work only with plastic wads, but they have smoothed-out recoil and maybe less shot deformation.
 
ok to be honest I didnt look at what anyone else said. I would reccomend an 11-87 for your needs. My brother has one and loves the thing. He got the waterfowl one that has that R3 recoil pad and loves it says there is no kick. This would be great for water fowl or clays for you. If you really want a pump deep down which it sounds like you might get the 870 lol. I know its tempting to get the auto loaders for those lightning fast follow ups with ease but you cant beat the rugged dependability of a pump lol
 
Harry,
PM me. I'm right down the road in NE Columbia, and I have a few shotguns I'm selling for a friend that is retired. Have a few autos, quite a few pumps, and all priced to move. Have a Browning, but it has been refinished, and not very good! Matt black finish and all the engraving just about polished out. Also have a really nice Ithical 37 pump, Mossberg 500, Rem 1100, and a few others.
Your welcome to browse thru them, you just have to excuse the mess in my shop right now!!
 
I bought a Benelli SBE2 in Nov 2006 and have been in love with it ever since. Easier to clean than the 870's I own, and will do anything I want it to, from early season dove to late season high flying snow geese. I am also on a limited budget, but I saved my pennies and am very happy I did. I did my homework and it came down to the SBE2 and the Beretta Xtrema2. I just liked the Benelli better.
 
I don't shoot clays, just critters, and my GP shotgun is the 870P....cylinder bore is great out to 30yds, and for home defense it's without peer....shoots slugs very accurately at 50yds, also, and can be bought sub-$400 from Hoplite, Inc.....I recommend a used one for even better value......
 
What about...

the Smith and Wesson 1000 series shotguns? I just picked up a Smith and Wesson catalog with these shotguns in it. Seems to be pretty comparable to everything we have discussed on this topic. Anyone have any experience with Smith and Wesson shotguns? Just curious...

Harry :banghead:
 
Harry,

S&W tried the shotgun market a couple of times in a previous life. First they tried reaching out to the police pumpgun market in the early 1970s with an effort known as the S&W Model 916. Let us draw the veil of charity over that one, please.

At about the same time (early 1970s) they offered a gas operated semiauto known as the Model 1000. As I never knew anyone who had one, I don't know how well these guns worked or held up, but S&W dropped their shotgun line completely in the early 1980s. Mossberg picked up the Model 1000 design and ran with it a little while but also dropped it about 1987. Somewhere in there S&W made another try for the police pumpgun market share practically owned by Remington with their S&W Model 3000- a design that was much like the Remington 870, for some reason. Again, after a short while they abandoned the field and orphaned their shotgun owners.

Personally I'd look for a manufacturer with a bit better track record and more longevity for their shotgun line, YMMV of course.

hth,

lpl/nc
 
I know it comes with a price tag but my Beretta Xtrema2 is one hell of a shotgun. Covers all purposes you discussed and is top notch.
 
for auto's, remington and browning have good guns. You could spend a little more and get a beretta. for pumps, 870 wingmaster, browning has a good gun, can't think of the model, or you could go with a benelli nova, or supernova for pump. Benelli also has autoloaders.
 
Narrowing it down...

I think I am narrowing my selections down. I am going to go with a Browning, Remington, or Beretta. One thing I have learned on this thread is everyone has different opinions about which shotgun is the best. I never imagined there would be so many different opinions. Another important thing I learned from this thread is never make a negative (or ill-informed) :eek: comment about Beretta...people on here take that stuff personally and seriously. Gee whiz! Maybe I should take a poll on here. If you could have your choice of the Browning Gold Superlite Hunter, the Remington 11-87, or the Beretta AL391 (all 12 gauge models)...which would YOU choose? Let's just say (hypothetically) money were not a concern. This should be interesting.

Harry
 
Me? NOTA. (none of the above)

If I HAD to have a semiauto (I prefer pumps), then...

I'd get a Remington 1100 (probably used) chambered for 2 3/4" shells, with a 26-28" VR barrel with RemChokes, and buy a 21" factory smoothbore barrel with rifle sights. I'd replace the O ring, if I did buy used, and give it a good cleaning and lubing, not overlooking the return spring tube in the buttstock. I'd make sure it fit me properly, making any adjustments necessary to the stock, maybe even put on a premium recoil pad, and then not worry about anything else, except maybe adding sling swivel studs. And maybe a cut-down E Z Loader or the like, maybe.

And then I'd shoot it till either it died or I died.

lpl/nc (and if it died first, I'd get another 1100)
 
For clay targets of all varieties, you would hard-pressed not to see at least 90% of all autos being Beretta or Remington...IMO.

Few pump guns except in single trap.

All varieties of hunting guns, which are "shot little...carried a lot", can work.
Not very demanding "work" for most shotguns.

A Remington or Beretta auto would be the "safest" and "best" bet for both types of shooting IMHO.
 
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